Barrel rolling and centering device.



PATENTED JAN. 31, 1905.

Z, T. GAPEN. I BARREL ROLLING AND OEN'IERING DEVICE.

:A'PPLIOATION FILED 33.13. 1904.

2 SHEETS'-'-SHEET 1.

No. 781,513. PATBNTED JAN. 31, 1905.

z. T; GA-PEN. BARREL ROLLING AND GENTERING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 13. 1904 -2 SHEETSQSHEBT 2.

UNITED STATES Patented January 31, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

BARREL ROLLING AND CENTERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,513, dated January31, 1905.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LZAOHARIAH T. GAPEN. a citizen of the United States,residing at Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illiplace toplace, as in warehouses, breweries,

distilleries, flour-mills, and for local transportation. 7'

The primary object of the invention is to produce a simple, strong, and,efiicient device for centering the heads of the barrels, whereby theywill when pushed or pulled from place to place or up an inclined planeroll exactly in the direction desired and not tend to roll at an angleor to one side.

' Another object of the invention is to'providea device wherebythe-barrel, keg, or cask need not be touched by the hand or foot of theoperator when being rolled from place to place, or, in other words, fromone place to another.

It is a well-known fact that wet, dirty, or greasy barrels, and this isespecially applicable to pickle-barrels, are diflicult to manage, (moreso in cold weather,) either by rolling them by the hands or kickingthem, as they are inclined to roll or turn at an angle from thedirection in which it is desired to have them go. This is especiallytroublesome when they are on a narrow runway, wherefrom they are liableto fall. When the processes familiarly known to the trade as kicking andspiking are resorted to, the barrel-hoops are frequently loosened andthe staves splintered or broken. When rolled by hand, the painful andinjurious position of stooping becomes necessary and imperative. Eitherof these methods is slowand tedious and involves a'great waste of time.By the use of my improved device all of these objectionable features areprovided against and obviated.

A further object of myinvention is to pro vide means whereby theoperation of local Application filed February 13, 1904:. Serial No.193,478.

handling, either by pushing or pulling the barrel, may be greatlyfacilitated.

Otherobjects of my invention consist in novel structural features andcombinations of parts, the operation of which parts separately and incombination will be found hereinafter fully described, and the novelcombinations of which parts are specified in the claims of thisspecification. 7

Mechanism showing the arrangement, connection, and mutual relationshipof the severalparts of my improvement are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a face elevation showing thedevice extended; Fig. 2, a side elevation, partly broken away; Fig. 3, aface elevation showing the device contracted and the clutches en gagedwith the heads of the barrel Fig. 4:, a

perspective of centering-guides; Fig. 5, a plan view; Fig. 6, asectional view, and Fig. 7 another sectional view. 7

Referring to the drawings by letters, the same reference-letterindicating the same part in the different figures thereof, A representsan arched or inverted-U-shaped frame or loop and is constructed of anymaterial capable of being flexed, sprung, or bent, but preferably ofwood.

B is a rod screw-threadedthrough a nut C,

secured to the upper central portion of the frame A and at its lower endsecured, as shown at B or in any desired manner, to a spring cross-plateC, which latter is con nected at its ends to the lower portions of theframe A, as shown at Figs. 1 and 3, or in any other preferred or desiredmanner.

D D are toothed clutches loosely journaled at E in hearings in plates FF on the lower ends of the frame A and held therein by split.

the barrel vertically to the center of the heads spring cross orconnecting plate C and near l their upper portions are connected, byplates H H for limiting their upward movement 1 and by platesJ J forlimiting their downward l movement. Their ends are then brought togetherto form handles K K for facilitating the use of the device in operation.

For the purposes of this specification I will 1 designate the partslettered Gr G, G 3r, (I r]. i H H, J J, and K K the centering device.

L L are flat springs fixed to the inner side of the frame A, and M M areturn-buttons fixed to the outer side thereof. both as shown and forpurposes hereinafter described.

In operation, the parts beingin the relative positions shown at Fig. 1,when it is desired to roll the barrel from one place to another and thevertical distance from the centeringguides Gr G to the central pins D ofthe clutches (said pins being slightly longer than those surroundingthem) being equal to the distance from their positions on the bulge onthereof, the operator will lift the device by means of the handles K Kand place it centrally lengthwise of the barrel, with the loops orguides G Ur and their connecting-wires resting on the bulge thereof. Itwill readily be seen that the heads of the barrel (0 will thus beautomatically centered by the clutches D. The screw-threaded rod B isthen turned by its handle or lever B in a direction such as to raise themiddle or central portion of the spring-plate C, thus contracting it tothe position shown in Fig. 3 and bringing the lower portions of theframe A closer together, when the points or pins of the clutches willpartially enter the heads of the barrel around their centers, and thepressure of the wood on said points or pins will automatically lock therod B in its position shown at said figure. The barrel-heads being thuscentered, the turnbuttons are released from engagement with the plates JJ whereby the centering device will be thrown upward, as shown at Fig.3, and free from contact with the sides of the barrel by the action ofthe springs L L on the plates H H on the depending loops G G, in whichposition the barrel is ready to be rolled. hen it is desirable torelease the barrel, the rod B is screwed downward to the position shownin Fig. 1, thus expanding the spring and thereby the lower portions ofthe frame, and releasing the clutches from the heads of the barrel.

It will be seen that my device may be used with either face thereoftoward the operator and that the thread on the rod may be either a rightor a left hand one. It is, however, preferably double threaded, for twopurposes viz., strength and rapidity in use. It will further be seenthat by the use of my device the operator has complete and full controlof the barrel to push, pull, turn, or guide it in any direction.

The advantages of the invention will be apparent, and the operation willbe understood from the foregoing description, it being particularlynoted that various changes may be made in the details of contructionwithout departing materially from the general idea involved.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, a frame or loop,'a springcross-plate connecting the lower parts of said frame or loop, ascrewthreaded rod connected to the cross-plate and to-the loop, clutchesat the lowermost portions of the frame or loop, and a centering device,allsubstantially as described and for the purpose specified.

2. In a device of the class described, and in combinationja contractiblc inverted-U-shaped frame or loop, a spring-plate connecting the lowerportions of the frame or loop, and adapted to be sprung upward at itsmedian portion, a rod screw-tln'eadcd through the central upper portionof said frame and at its lowerend connected to said spring-plate,clutches on said frame, and a centeringdevice mounted on and carried bysaid frame, all substantially as shown and for the purposes specified.

3. In a device of the class described, an inverted-U-shaped loop orframe contractible at its lower portions, a barrel-centering devicemounted thereon, turl'i-buttons for locking said centering device in itslowermost position, springs for automatically raising said device whenthe turnbuckles are released, and means for engaging the ends of theframe with the heads of a barrel or cash.

4. In combination in a barrel-rolling device, a contractibleinverted-Ushapcd frame, a centering device mounted thereon, the upperportions of which form handles, means for limiting the upward anddoumwanl movements of said centering device, and clutches at the lowerinner portions of said frame.

5. In a device of the class described, an inverted-U-shapcd framecontractible at its lower portions, a spring cross-plate connecting saidlower portions, a rod screw-threaded through a nut on the upper part ofsaid frame and secured to the cross-plate substantially as shown,whereby said cross-plate may be raised or lowered for the purposedescribed,

an adjustable centering device, and clutches on the inner and lower endsof said frame, all in combination substantially as described and for thepurposes set forth.

6. In a device of the class described, a frame A, a rod Bscrew-tln-ezuled through a nut C on the central upper part of the frame,said rod having a handle or lever B rigidly secured thereto at its upperend, a s 'iring crossplate loosely connected at its median part to thelower end of said rod and at its ends to the lower portions of the frameA, a center-v for the purposes specified.

7 In a device of theclass described, a dome or arch shaped frame A,expansible and contractible at' its lower portions, a spring-plateconnecting said lower portions, a rod screw threaded through a nut onthe central upper part of said frame'and having its lower portionengaged With the central portion of saidspring-plate for the purposespecified, and clutches journaled in the lower ends of the frame,substantially as shown and for-the purpose specified.

ZACH ARIAH T. GAPEN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE S. ROGERS, G. M. S. RICHARDS.

